Top Ten East Africa Off-the-Beaten-Path Adventures

Spread your wings: Spot vultures all over Kenya (John Beattie)

Shimmering Lake Turkana, in the far northwest corner of Kenya, isn't exactly easy to reach. The trip involves long desert drives through this remote corner of East Africa. Once there, you can get out onto the lake in local boats, but the main attraction is simply soaking up the atmosphere and meeting the nomadic Turkana tribespeople, who in many ways have yet to make it into the 20th century, let alone the 21st. It's also possible to visit a village of El-Molo people, one of the smallest tribes in Kenya. Access to the eastern (and more interesting) side of the lake requires a well-equipped vehicle and preparation.